World No.1 Novak Djokovic has been placed on a collision course with Roger Federer after both players were drawn in the same half for next week’s US Open.
Reigning champion Djokovic is aiming to become the first man to defend his title at Flushing Meadows for more than a decade. Following in the footsteps of rival Federer who was unbeaten at the tournament between 2004-2008. Djokovic will start his campaign against Spain’s Roberto Carballés Baena. A player currently ranked 76th in the world who has only ever won two main draw matches at a grand slam. Should Djokovic come through, he faces either Sam Querry or Juan Igancio Londero next. Also lurking in his section is 27th seed Dusan Lajovic, whom he could play in the last 32, followed potentially by either Kevin Anderson or Stan Wawrinka.
Djokovic’s projected route to:
R1: Carballes Baena
R2: Querrey/Londero
R3: Lajovic
R4: Wawrinka/Anderson
QF: Medvedev
SF: Federer
In order for a rematch of the Wimbledon final to take place, both Djokovic and Federer are required to progress to the semi-finals. In their most recent meeting, the Serbian saved two match points during a marathon five-hour battle. Recording his fourth consecutive win over the Swiss Maestro.
38-year-old Federer will be hoping to make up for his shock fourth round loss to John Millman at the tournament 12 months. He will open up his 2019 campaign against a yet to be decided qualifier. The last time Federer failed to reach the fourth round of the New York major was back in 2000. Not counting 2016 when he withdrew from the major due to injury.
Federer’s projected route to the final:
R1: qualifier
R2: Dzumhur
R3: Pouille
R4: Goffin
QF: Nishikori
SF: Djokovic
In the other half of the draw, second seed Rafael Nadal will start against Millman. The Spaniard is the only member of the Big Three to have won a trophy since Wimbledon after defending his title at the Rogers Cup. Nadal’s favourable section features four qualifiers, two wild cards and one player who gained entry with the use of their protected ranking (Cedrik-Marcel Stebe). Should the draw go according to the seedings, he could play Fernando Verdasco in the third round followed by either John Isner or Marin Cilic.
Rafael Nadal’s projected route to the final:
R1: Millman
R2: Kokkinakis
R3: Verdasco
R4: Cilic/Isner
QF: Zverev/Khachanov
SF: Thiem/Tsitsipas
The draw gods has been more friendly to some than others. Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas will lock horns with rising star Andrey Rublev in what promises to be a stern test. Not only is Rublev a former US Open quarter-finalist, he recently stunned Federer in Cincinnati. Tsitsipas is also on course for a third round showdown against the animated Nick Kyrgios, who he has recently played doubles with in Washington and Cincinnati.
Alexander Zverev’s 2019 season has been far from smooth. Nevertheless, the German will be hoping for a long awaited breakthrough in the majors. In the first round he faces Radu Albot from Moldova. Somebody who could potentially pose a threat if in top form.
Other first round matches include fourth seed Dominic Thiem against Thomas Fabbiano, rising star Daniil Medvedev against Prajnesh Gunneswaran, and another chapter of the all-Canadian rivalry between Denis Shapovalov and Felix-Auger Aliassime.
The US Open main draw will get underway on Monday.
The full draw
TOP HALF
BOTTOM HALF
